Console Information Recording Dongle for Network Switch Troubleshooting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional switch devices often have unused serial console connections due to high capital and operational expenditures, leading to issues when the Out-Of-Band Ethernet management connection becomes unavailable, resulting in unresponsive fleets of switch devices and complicated troubleshooting without accessible console information.
Innovation Solution
A dongle device with a console information recording engine that connects to a networking device console port, stores console information in a storage device, and provides access even when the serial console connection is not used or the device cannot initialize.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If console information recording is implemented using traditional serial console connections, then console information can be accessed, but capital and operational expenditures increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a console information recording device (CIRD) as an intermediary component that connects between the networking device and the host device. This CIRD captures console information from the serial console port and stores it in its own memory, allowing information access without requiring continuous serial console infrastructure. The CIRD acts as a mediator that decouples the information recording function from the traditional expensive console server infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a copy of console information storage by having the CIRD create and maintain a local copy of console information in its internal memory. This copied information can be accessed later without needing the original serial console connection active, effectively creating a redundant information source that reduces dependency on expensive infrastructure while maintaining information accessibility.
2Reliability
If serial console connections are deployed for all networking devices, then console information is always accessible, but operational expenditures increase due to infrastructure requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The console information recording device performs self-service by automatically capturing, storing, and managing console information without requiring manual intervention or continuous human monitoring. The device autonomously records console data to its memory and can provide this information on-demand, eliminating the need for dedicated operational resources while maintaining high availability of console information.
Solution Approach 2:
The CIRD performs preliminary action by pre-capturing and storing console information in its memory before it might be needed. This advance preparation ensures that console information is already available when troubleshooting is required, eliminating delays associated with setting up serial console connections during critical incident response scenarios.
3Loss of information
If console information is stored locally on networking devices, then information is readily accessible, but device storage resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the console information storage function from the networking device itself and relocates it to a separate console information recording device. The CIRD has its own dedicated memory resources, so storing console information externally does not consume the limited storage resources of the networking device. This extraction allows the networking device to maintain its primary functions while the CIRD handles information retention independently.
Data Source
AI summary
A console information recording dongle system includes a networking device having a networking device console port, and a console information recording dongle device. The console information recording dongle device includes a dongle device console connector that is connected to the networking device console port, a storage device, and a console information recording engine that is coupled to the dongle device console connector and the storage device. The console information recording engine receives console information generated by the networking device through the dongle device console connector via the networking device console port, and stores the console information in the storage device. The console information recording dongle device may also include a dongle device console port, and may transmit the console information that was received via the dongle device console connector through the dongle device console port.